In the sport of hunting, for example deer hunting, after bringing down the animal, the hunter frequently dresses the animal in the field. Dressing a slain animal involves skinning the carcass and separating the meat from the visceral organs. A particular problem arises in the area of the anus, where the rectal portion of the lower intestine connects to the outer skin of the animal. The traditional method of dealing with this area is to cut around the anus with a knife to separate the anus and the rectum from the skin. The skin is then slit along the lower abdomen to open the body. This process presents the problem of damaging the intestinal wall, thereby allowing solid waste matter to enter the body cavity. When this happens, the meat that is contacted by the bodily waste material becomes contaminated and is not fit for consumption. In addition, the process of cutting around and separating the anus from the surrounding skin with a knife is arduous and time consuming.
One method and apparatus for cleanly removing the anus and extracting the rectum for safely tying and securing against contaminating leakage of solid waste is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,949 to Moody. The Moody invention provides an annular cutter device that is rotated around the animal's anus and pushed to cut a plug of flesh. A strip on the side of the cutter is then pressed radially inward to grip the cut plug, and the cutter is pulled out to extend the rectum from the body cavity. The rectum is then tied snugly to prevent leakage of waste matter while the abdomen is cut open and the viscera removed.